| Intro | American businessman |
| Was | Businessperson |
| From | United States of America |
| Type | Business |
| Gender | male |
| Birth | 31 March 1930 |
| Death |
9 June 1973, United States of America (aged 43 years) |
William Penn Patrick (March 31, 1930 – June 9, 1973) was an American entrepreneur and businessman. He was the owner of Holiday Magic, Leadership Dynamics, and Mind Dynamics.
Patrick was a proponent of the sour grapes philosophy, and has been widely quoted as stating:
Those who condemn wealth are those who have none and see no chance of getting it.
Patrick tried unsuccessfully to get into a career in politics, first running against Ronald Reagan for the Republican nomination for governor of California, and was later nominated by the California Theocratic Party for Vice President of the United States. Patrick was a member of the John Birch Society.
Patrick died in 1973, when his private plane crashed in Lakeport, California.
Political career
Patrick sought out the Republican nomination for governor of California, in 1966. Patrick alleged that a pollster, Mervin Field, had accepted money to influence a poll in the campaign. Mervin Field sued Patrick for libel, for damages of US$4 million, and was awarded US$300,000. Patrick later lost the nomination, to Ronald Reagan. The New Republic described Patrick’s campaign strategy as that of “out-Reaganing Ronald Reagan”. In 1967, Patrick formed a fundraising group to run for Thomas Kuchel’s Senate seat. Patrick was later nominated for Vice President of the United States, in 1967, by the California Theocratic Party. The Los Angeles Times referred to Patrick as the “strangest politician”. He was mainly popular among ultraconservative and ultraright political circles in California.
Businessman
Patrick began his experience in sales selling products door-to-door in Illinois. He was the owner of companies including Leadership Dynamics, a controversial company which was the first form of Large Group Awareness Training, and Holiday Magic, a door-to-door cosmetics company later termed by the United States Federal government to be fraudulent. Mind Dynamics was initially founded by Alexander Everett, and Patrick backed the company before buying it. Patrick’s companies were later investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, on allegations of pyramid schemes. Leadership Dynamics folded amidst lawsuits and allegations of physical and sexual abuse.
Death
William Penn Patrick died on June 9, 1973, in the crash of his privately owned P-51 Mustang in Lakeport, California. A certified pilot, he was flying the plane at the time of the crash after making a low pass (stall/spin) near his farm at Clearlake Oaks, CA. He was 43, and flying with Christian George Hagert, 30, director of Holiday Magic of Helsinki, Finland who also died in the crash.